1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an outdoor unit for an air conditioner that prevents freezing of water droplets, etc. between a fan and a bell mouth, for example.
2. Background Art
In an outdoor unit for an air conditioner, water droplets from rain, snow, etc., attached to a surface of a front panel of a casing, or water droplets formed from melted snow on top of the casing drop along the surface of the front panel to enter a gap between a bell mouth and a fan during a heating operation. When the outside air temperature is low, the temperature of blowout air from the fan can be equal to or below the freezing point. In this case, the water droplets entered the gap between the bell mouth and the fan freeze. Particularly, when the amount of water droplets is large, frozen ice can grow and contact with the fan to make extraordinary noise, or interrupt rotation of the fan to stop the outdoor unit abnormally.
Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 4-132336 describes an outdoor unit for an air conditioner wherein a seal member is formed to seal a gap between a casing and an outlet grille with a width equal to or larger than a diameter of an air outlet above the air outlet in order to prevent freezing of water droplets, etc. between a fan and a bell mouth.